Tuesday, February 23, 2010

# 3: Screens, prisions, multiplicity; Wednesdy

Manovich asserts that screens are a type of "imprisonment" (80). During section, I'd like to discuss this idea of imprisonment with relation to past articles that we've read on societies of control, the matrix, and neuromancer. Being imprisoned by the unreal, an unreal that is a simulated reality, seems absurd to me... but I think it's happening everyday. Facebook addictions, parents neglecting their children because of video games -- just so bizarre to me.

I'd like to also focus on the idea of "multiplicity" and the "codes." I think that with societies of control, one argument was that they operate on people subscribing to these meanings already created for them. So what does it mean that these protocols, these screens, these media already have very concrete "meanings" and "protocols"? It just seems very mathematical and seemingly very easy media in which to practice control... and imprisonment. Especially since that the user "thinks" that s/he is "controlling" the actions, but all possible actions that they could take are already completely mapped out for them -- a bizarre, disturbing, pre-destined fate...